India has never been a big player in international trade. Nevertheless, over the past twenty years, the country has developed its trade relations. India started in 1991 with its ‘Look East’ policy, trying to gain better access to regional markets in Asia.

In the past, Cameroon benefited from being a small oil-exporting economy (10% of GDP, but 40% of exports and fiscal revenues in 2008). Oil exploitation created fluctuating trade and budget surpluses and attracted inward foreign investments.